What is your experience grafting European pears to Asian pear trees? I grafted a Seuri Asian pear tree (We didn’t like the Juicy Fruit Gum taste!) to multiple varieties starting in 2011 and now have a 20-foot tree. The rootstock is calleryana. So why do some people say not to graft European pears to Asian pears? Is it because pear decline due to psylla infection is worse on some Asian rootstocks? But if the Asian pear is grafted to a resistant rootstock, then it should not be a problem. That said, CA folks say calleryana is not resistant to decline.
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Some say Euro dont do well on asian but thats not always true. Decline impacts things like harbin rootstock yes. They say that because some euros dont grow well on hybrids or asian.
Would you say Euro on Callery is proven compatible or is jury still out?
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Euro works on callery but like with most rootstocks sometimes an interstem is needed. Asian works with callery but the same applies.
Thanks. I’ve done a dozen or so Euro on straight Callery in my locale, will see how they do. They sure take off like gangbusters. A Harrow Sweet I put on a friend’s Callery spring of '22 now has pears and looks like a four year old tree.
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That is because the harrow pears often have old home genetics. The one you grafted does for sure. Highly compatible! 25 Harrow pear varieties
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Interesting! Is there a list somewhere of Euro pears with some Asian in them?
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Any Hybrid (European x Asian) Cultivar are part asian. Here is a list
https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/20721500/catalogs/pyrhybrid.html
Ohxf rootstock are really ohxb (old home x bartlett). Now look at the harrow pears again they are like a rootstock in compatability but taste good.
Harrow sweet, harrow delight are actually 1 tree away from being a really great rootstock. That means they graft to anything. Keep in mind some harrow trees are protected by patents and trademarks. Harrow delight as an example is available from the USDA ars grin program and many nurseries now.
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Thank you! Hoping some of the straight Euro pears also show long-term compatibility with Callery.
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No problems some european pears have been on those callery 20+ years. The nurseries sold them that way.
So what’s the difference between Warren and Magness?
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They are nearly identical but there are differences as seen here Magness and Warren sibling pears
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My Magness bears 5 x the fruit of my Warren. A Warren pear here is rare BUT I have Potomac grafted on the Warren tree and the Potomac has become a shy bearer too so maybe it’s tree fertility, not the varieties.
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Potomac and Warren produce good here for what they are. Potomac produces 5x the pears at least that warren does no doubt. Warren is still worth growing. If warren is flowering heavy but not setting fruit the pollinator is not a good match. Karls favorite is a great pollinator for Warren.
I have heard magness is pollen sterile. I am unsure if Warren is.
Have been busy adding another row of warren recently. Hopefully i will add over a dozen more trees on Pyrus betulifolia.
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Warren pears continue to gain popularity Warren Pears Information, Recipes and Facts just like their parent comice. We are witnessing the rise of the next speciality pear. I’m not sure if it will ever be called the royal rivierra but i am sure it tastes better than comice some years to me!
https://www.harryanddavid.com/blog/what-kind-of-pear-is-a-royal-riviera-pear/
Froghollow have begun the speciality packaging of warren already Organic Warren Pears – Frog Hollow Farm
Magness and warren are said to be a cross of Doyenne du Comice Pears x some type of seckle
My scions came from the usda and have been verified to be warren. My magness is magness no doubt again from the usda. They are both wonderful trees but can be stubornly hard to grow. Warren does much better in the presence of Karls favorite. Highly recommend growing them on the same tree. @TheFluffyBunny i believe was the one who tipped me off before i ever started growing it to make the tree half and half. Currently im growing dozens of warren trees by themselves which may be a mistake. I’m still using top worked trees changed over to warren to reduce the wait time. If a tree is prone to fireblight i change it to something like warren that is not. I’m increasing my warren pear tree numbers every year.
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Where did the information that Warren can act as a pollinator come from? That’s news to me. I’ve grown Warren for 40+years. My original scions came from T. O. Warren who was my mentor when I lived in MS. We always thought it to be pollen sterile like Magness.
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Warren has always been able to pollinate others and magness has always been unable to do that. Any nursery will confirm it eg. Warren Pear – Trees of Antiquity
" The Warren pear tree was named for Thomas O. Warren, a founding father of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX), who discovered this gem in Mississippi, in 1976. The Warren pear is medium to large, long-necked, drop-shaped fruit is faded green with an occasional red blush in full sun. That said, the Warren pears can vary in size and shape. The pears are rated equal to Magness by many. The Warren pears are sweet, spicy and very juicy, buttery, silky flesh with no grit. Pyramidal tree shape. Fire blight resistant. One of the best for providing a source of pollen to other European pear trees. Please refer below for more information on the Warren pear trees for sale.
Considerations for Warren Pear Tree
USDA Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Uses: Fresh Eating
Harvest Period: Very Late
Low Chill: Yes
Bloom Period: Midseason
Pollination Requirement: Self-Fertile
Origin Date: Mississippi 1976
Storage: 3 Months or More
Disease Resistance: Excellent
Rootstock: OHxF 333
Recommended Spacing: 12-16 ft.
Mature Size: 12-16 ft.
Water Requirements: 12-15 gallons per week May through Sept."
It does best with Karls Favorite or another warren close by in my experience. There will be about 30-50% of flowers that wont develop fruit in my experience.
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